State Superintendent Delays ESSA Plan Submission

March 14, 2017

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the federal law that replaced No Child Left Behind and requires states to develop plans that address academic standards, assessments, school accountability and assistance for struggling schools.

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) spent months gathering public input from more than 15,000 Ohioans before releasing its draft plan. Educators, parents, students and community members sent a clear message about how the state’s draft plan was not responsive to their concerns.

Released in early February, the state’s draft plan was open for public comment until March 6. Despite having a September deadline for submission, ODE had stated its intent to proceed with its submission of the plan in April—five months before the deadline.

State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria announced today that the Department “will delay the ESSA submission to the U.S. Department of Education to September.”